Rare Rubens painting, lost for centuries, expected to fetch up to $35 million at auction

An extremely rare painting by Flemish Baroque painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens will be put on auction in January, as per media reports. The painting depicts a major moment in a much-portrayed Biblical tale. It been described by auction house Sotheby’s as “Salome Presented With the Severed Head of Saint John the Baptist” on the official website. Believed to be from 1609, it is estimated to fetch a price that will be somewhere between $25 to $35 million. The painting has a vaguely fascinating history. It was speculated to be lost for two centuries until it resurfaced in 1987. After being sold in 1998 for $5.5 million, it was also put on display for a short while at London’s National Gallery of Art in the early 2000s.

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In 17th century Spain, from 1666 to 1700, it was listed as part of the royal family inventory. It was then sold in Paris in 1768, but after that it disappeared for more than 200 years until a French family discovered it in 1987. The family credited the piece of art to one of Ruben's followers.

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Ruben is remembered as one of the greatest painters of the Baroque period (17th and 18th centuries movement that followed Renaissance and Mannerism periods). Art of the era was characterised by dramatic scenery, rich, vivid colours, contrasting shadows, and more often than now depicted the greatest moment in the event. This was a stark contrast to Renaissance-era paintings, which depicted scenes that took place before major events and evoked calm and peace instead of passion of Baroque-era.

He is also known for 'Saturn Devouring His Son' a painting that Spanish artist Francisco Goya recreated about two centuries later.

The painting is part of a collection owned by couple real-estate magnate Mark Fisch and former judge Rachel Davidson. It is being sold because they are getting a divorce.